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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. key — in music
  3. suit — to fit
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. suit — in cards
  6. key — for a lock
  7. drill — a practice
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. fork — in a road
  10. dip — to sink
  11. drill — the tool
  12. pound — a weight
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. key — the most important part
  16. suit — clothes
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. drill — army training

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com